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Toledo Uiadt.A HUMAN PINCUSHION.YarlouB Interesting Experiments In Practical Psychology.An interesting exhibition of mesmer*nism or physical phenomena was witnessed in the parlors of the American House yesterday afternoon. A number of physicians and prominent citizens was present, among whom were Dr. C. D. Ellis, Dr. Peck, Dr. H. J. Herrick, Mayor Gardner and John Kings-borough. The mesmeric tests were conducted by Professor E. G. Johnson, a young man, who amused and mystified the gentlemen present, and fully demonstrated that he has a wonderful command over the minds of a certain class of people. Traveling with the professor is a young man named Harry Leon, who is styled ‘’The Human Pincushion.” He was bom without the sense of feeling, and is impervious to pain. He was stripped to the waist, and Professor Johnson immediately began to stick needles into his body, and fifteen or twenty were placed in his breast and left there. His cheeks, ears and tongue were then pierced through, and large needles driven through the fleshy part of his arms. The young man never winced while going through this trying ordeal, and asserted that he felt no pain whatever. The physicians present made several tests and were satisfied that the man was a peculiar phenomenon. He is healthy and good-looking, but has never been subjected to pain since his birth. The profcssorthen gave an exhibition of his mesruerio powers. A young man was selected for the test, and the mesmerist began to operate on the nerves centering in the temples, and directly between the eyes* and soon the mesmeric influence began to manifest itself. Different parts of the body became rigid, and soon the entire body was placed in the cataleptic condition, and turning two chairs back to back about five feet apart, with the aid of several of the spectators, the unconscious man was raised and left reclining in mid air, with his heels resting on the back of one chair and his head on the other. The professor and two spectators then sat upon the body without their weight causing any depression or relaxation. Tho young man was then brought to his senses and knew nothing of wlmt had occurred. The next test was a peculiar one.. A common sewing needle was produced already threaded, and the patient's cheek, tongue and limbs were scw’cd togcthor. Th spectators shuddered at the sight, but not a muscle of the mesmerized man moved, and not a drop of blood followed tb# needle’s tracks.—Lender.
Newspaper Details
Iowa State Reporter
Waterloo, Iowa, US
Thu, Dec 24, 1885
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Monique P.
NJ, USA 28 Apr 2017
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